Germany announces to fund WASIP projects in Gilgit-Baltistan

Karachi, August 13:The German Embassy has announced a grant of 3.12 million euros to improve water and sanitation conditions in Gilgit-Baltistan to be completed through Water and Sanitation Improvement Program (WASEP).

The “Water and Sanitation Extension Programme” (WASEP) is run by the Aga Khan Planning and Building Service Pakistan (AKPBSP) and is to be funded by the German Federal Foreign Office. Germany will provide a grant of 3.12 million Euro. More than 240,000 people in 307 villages of the Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral region are expected to benefit from this grant. This was annouced through a satement issued by the German Embassy on Monday.

Germany has also decided to make substantial increase in its assistance for the flood victims of Pakisatn from two million to 10 million Euros. However The Germans made it obligatory that the given aid would be distributed through UN and German organizations instead of Pakistani Government. The German Embassy said in a statement issued here on Thursday that, the German Federal Foreign Office and the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development announced an increase of the German immediate relief to 10 million Euros in response to the Initial Floods Response Plan for Pakistan.

Earlier, on August 02 the German Government had announced aid of one million Euros for the flood-affectees which was doubled to two million Euros Latter on.

very good. AKPBS should use these funds to first repair all water and sanitation schemes that have been damaged IN GB province due to floods,then remaining funds to repair other water and sanitation schemes damaged in KP province. This is need of the hour,the country needs out of box thinking.

A big thank you to BMZ, government and people of Germany for providing grants for WATSAN projects in GB which is one of the priority needs of the mountain society. I hope the projects will bring positive impact on the lives of people living.

The Water and Sanitation Programme (WASEP) is unique in its delivery of services and has an illustrous history of being highly professional, relevant and dedicated to wipe water related diseases off the face of Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral. The task at hand for WASEP is highly demanding as there are packets of communities scattered in more than a thousand villages across the region that are craving for access to clean drinking water. This situation has been further exacerbated by the recent episode of flash floods in the region.

The German central bank KFW has remained a major donor to WASEP in the past. The extension of support by German government to WASEP to further its mission of bringing clean drinking water to hundreds of villages in Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral is a welcome news for thousands of mountain people who will benefit from this generous support.

We must wish WASEP the best of luck in its endeavours and thank the German government for its benevolence.